Khomeini: Western Press Creating False Image Of Iran

Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in his first public appearance in more than a month, on Saturday denounced the Western press for misrepresenting the international image of Iran.

Khomeini, 86, speaking in a strong voice, addressed 100 people for 30 minutes, frequently punctuating his remarks with hand gestures. The speech, his first since Oct. 31, appeared to support official denials that he was ill after a week of speculation sparked by the sudden designation last Saturday of Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri as his eventual successor.

Attended by four Western reporters, the speech marked the birthday of the prophet Mohammed and took place at the mosque in the village of Jamaran, where Khomeini has lived since suffering a heart attack in 1980.

Khomeini walked unaided to the seat on the mosque's small balcony, from which he delivered the address. He refused assistance on leaving the building. In his address, Khomeini criticized foreign reporters for portraying Iran as the ''center of international terrorism'' and accused them of making false allegations that ''in the Islamic Republic's prisons, people are executed without trial.''

''The great powers massacre people and the Western press says nothing about it,'' he said.

Khomeini joked with the faithful about press reports that Iran's main oil terminal at Kharg Island had been destroyed by Iraqi air strikes.

''How many times can you destroy the same thing?'' he said.

Observers said the ayatollah's vibrant performance and his failure to refer to Montazeri put to rest any question of an abrupt change in leadership.

They also suggested the omission was an attempt to portray Montazeri's nomination as a normal procedure and not a move to head off rival bids for Khomeini's succession.